Of Love and War
by Everything's Peachy
Summary: He's an arrogant prick. She hates him. Or does she? Thrown together by Dumbledore and a mutual need to figure out what's going on, Lily and James may end up with something neither of them bargained for.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its affiliations, etc.**

**A/N: Just another Lily and James fic... this is my first fanfiction EVER, so I hope you guys enjoy it!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Of Boarding the Hogwarts Express<strong>

_September 1st, 1977_

"Ahh," I sighed, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of King's Cross station. "There's nothing like the start of a new school year. New people to meet, new spells to learn, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher-"

"Lily!" hissed my best friend and companion, Rebecca "Beck" Webster. "Could you be any more obvious? We're not even on the platform yet." She grinned a little. "Just try to contain your excitement for a few more minutes, yeah?"

"Yeah," I replied, feeling appropriately abashed, but I couldn't hold back a smile of my own. We wheeled our trunks and owls toward the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, emerging into the usual chaos of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I laughed inwardly as I noticed a couple of kids who were obviously first years warily eyeing the "solid" barrier they had just come through; another was ogling the steam-billowing scarlet Hogwarts Express with delight.

I heard a loud snort behind me. "Really? He couldn't even wait until we got on the train?" Beck gestured toward a spot across the platform, where Sirius Black was- unbelievably- already snogging a curly-haired witch.

"C'mon, let's go board," I said, joining Beck in rolling my eyes. "Where there's one Marauder, the rest are sure to be not far away." We started toward the nearest car, trunks in tow.

"Anyway, where's Mary?" Beck asked, referring to our other best friend and fellow seventh-year Gryffindor, Mary Macdonald.

"Dunno," I shrugged. As we neared a train entrance, Beck had yet another question.

"What are those people in green robes doing?"

"Beats me," I said, but I was curious as well. The wizard nearest us stood at the entrance to the train looking official and important, and appeared to speak briefly with each group of students as they got on.

As we started to hoist our trunks up, the man assisted us, then said, "Names?"

"Lily Evans and Rebecca Webster," I replied automatically.

"Hmm…" He consulted a long list of parchment hovering in mid-air. "Ah, here you are. You're in car 2, compartments C and D."

What?

"But…um…Sir, I'm Head Girl," I stammered, befuddled by his words. Since when were we _assigned_ compartments? This made no sense. "We're supposed to start out up front, with the prefects…" I trailed off as the green-robed wizard fixed me with a McGonagall-like gaze.

"Prefects will receive instruction once everyone is on the train, Miss," he said sternly. Until then, stay in your compartment. Now, up you get."

"C'mon," Beck muttered, so with a sigh on my part we boarded the train.

OOOOOOO

"Beck! Lily!" was the first thing I heard when, a few minutes later, Beck and I slid open the door of car 2, compartment C. Its only occupant was one Mary Macdonald, who squealed and launched herself at us.

"Hey, Mary," I said, half laughing as she hugged me tightly. "How was your summer?"

"Great!" exclaimed the petite blonde, releasing me and bounding over to where Beck had dropped her trunk on the seat next to her. "A little boring at first, but the seaside was great. How 'bout you guys? Lily, did you get your hair cut? I love your top!"

"My summer was…fine," I said lamely, not wanting to bore my friends with how irritating and, frankly, hurtful my sister had been in the past few months. "Beck came and stayed with me this past week, though, so of course that was just awful." I grimaced at the girl in question and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"Well, that's just lovely!" exclaimed Mary, sitting down again. "And do either of you know what's up with having to be in specific compartments? The witch I talked to didn't tell me anything, and I got here early, so I was sitting here for just ages, wondering, but I'm glad you're in here too, now."

"We have no idea," Beck supplied. "They look like Ministry wizards, though. Does _anyone_ know what's going on?"

"Well of course," said a smooth voice, as Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew sauntered into our compartment. Well- Sirius sauntered, Remus walked normally, and Peter kind of scurried.

"The Ministry is afraid someone's (and by someone I mean Death Eaters) going to attack the Hogwarts Express, so it was their idea, naturally, to group us by House and year. Bloody pointless, if you ask me," Sirius continued, slumping into a seat across from me. "Beck, Mac, Tiger," he added as an afterthought, nodding.

Again-WHAT?

"Tiger?" I said disbelievingly, while Mary spluttered, "Mac?"

"Well, Macdonald, it's not _that_ hard to figure out, Merlin," Sirius addressed Mary first.

"But…Mac is a bloke's name!" Mary protested.

"So is Mary," he countered.

"What? No, it isn't. That doesn't even make- Oh, you're bloody ridiculous."

"Glad we figured that out," Sirius said, grinning. "As to you, Evans- Your name is Lily-"

"And tiger lilies are an orange flower, with the added bonus that tigers are, also, orange, like your hair, presumably," Remus, who had been quiet up until this point, added dryly. He shook his head. "It doesn't make sense to me, either, Lily, I tried to talk them out of it."

"Them?" I queried, for it seemed unlikely that Peter had to do with this particular nickname.

"'Course, Evans," said a new voice. "Did you think you'd be rid of me forever?" As I looked up into the grinning face of James Potter, a plethora of emotions swirled in my mind. Sixth year had been… a change in our relationship thus far, which had consisted mainly of flirting (on Potter's part), rejecting (on mine) and fighting (on both sides). But last term, perhaps as a result of the events by the lake during fifth year O.W.L.s, had been different. Though fights were still a regular occurrence, Potter no longer asked me out continually, and we had become… well, not friends exactly, but not sworn enemies. Acquaintances, perhaps. Then, last June, there had been the tense standoff between Potter and Sev, the one that reminded us so much of what had occurred just one year prior…We all parted ways for the summer, and I had no idea where Potter and I stood now. Thus, my conflicted feelings as he stepped into the compartment and sat down next to Sirius.

"I can only hope, Potter," I said sarcastically. "Where have you been, anyway?" When I looked out the window, I noticed the train had started moving within the past few minutes, meaning that we were all supposed to be in our specified compartments.

"I was attending to some personal business, Tiger," he said cheerfully. "Nothing to worry your pretty head about." He smirked at me as I glowered, and turned my attention to another conversation.

"So where's your latest gal pal, Black?" Beck was saying to Sirius.

"Who?" he asked with faux innocence. Beck raised an eyebrow, undeceived. "Oh, well, I believe she is currently sitting in the Hufflepuff fourth years' compartment, wondering why I've disappeared."

"A _fourth year?"_ Beck said disbelievingly. "That's…You're a pedophile, Sirius Black." Sirius merely smirked at her, flicking his black hair out of his eyes, but before Beck could reprimand him further the compartment door slid open.

"Um…h-hello? I'm…s'posed to tell everyone that…that the prefects and Head st-students are supposed to report to the first c-car immediately." A scrawny second year stood in the threshold, looking positively terrified at addressing a compartment full of seventh years.

"We've got it, thanks," Mary said kindly, and the younger student scurried away.

I stood up with a sigh. "C'mon, Remus, we'd better get going then," I said to my fellow prefect. We told everyone we'd see them later and exited the compartment. As we walked down the hall, however, I noticed we had another companion. I sighed again. It seemed like I was doing a lot of that today. "Potter, what are you doing?" I asked, mildly annoyed.

"Why, fulfilling my duties like a good Head Boy, of course," he said with a purely evil grin.

I rolled my eyes. Seemed like I was doing a lot of that, too. "Seriously, what are you up to? Are you going to plant Dungbombs in the prefect compartment again? Because cleaning that up was not fun…" I trailed off as what he said hit me. My eyes widened. "Wait…what? No, no way. Who in their right mind would make you Head Boy? You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding!" But even as I said it, my eyes found the shiny badge that matched mine pinned to his T-shirt. This was bad. This was very bad. I may have been able to tolerate Potter last year, but I doubted I could put up with his presence in large doses that would be necessary if we were Head students together.

"Nope, not kidding, Evans," he said, seeming to find great delight in my obvious desperation. "Though I must admit, I'm not sure what Dumbledore was thinking, either." He shrugged. "Still, should be interesting, eh?" Behind his spectacles, Potter's hazel eyes twinkled in a manner reminiscent of the aforementioned Hogwarts headmaster.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with," I muttered, quickening my pace to enter the prefect compartment. I drew level with Remus, who was looking highly amused. "Oh sod off," I whispered.

OOOOOO

An hour later, after the usual going-over of rules and introduction to the Head students (during which Potter proved surprisingly competent), I was about to wrap up the meeting and assign patrols for the remainder of the train ride when the compartment door slid open. A hush fell over the chatting prefects as we recognized one of the green-robed wizards from earlier, though not the one I had spoken to. Apparently they had come on the train with us to Hogwarts. The man looked around warily as he slid the door shut.

"Good afternoon, prefects, Head students," he said. "If I could just have your attention for a few minutes?" He addressed this to Potter and me, the former nodding his assent. The wizard cleared his throat and began.

"My name is Damocles Greengrass, and I am part of a group of Ministry of Magic officials- including Aurors and others from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement- who have been assigned to protecting Hogwarts this term. As you may know, we had seated the students in compartments based on your House and year. This precaution was necessary to ensure that all students have arrived safely at the school. During our stay at Hogwarts, we will be reviewing security measures as well as ensuring that all students are safe, sound, and content. You may see us observing classes or patrolling the castle and grounds. Please, do not let this development affect your studies in the slightest. I have related this information to you at Professor Dumbledore's request, so that you may let other students know that the presence of Ministry officials at Hogwarts is nothing to worry about, and so that you may quash- er- rumors that may be-er- circulating." At this point Greengrass looked highly uncomfortable, as though rumors were merely an unfortunate side effect of dealing with children that he would rather avoid. Beside me, Potter snorted quietly, apparently of the same mind.

"In any case, please do not hesitate to approach me or one of my colleagues if you have any questions or concerns- or if you wish to report suspicious behavior. For now, I leave you to your duties." Speech completed, the wizard offered a small- rather forced- smile and departed. Immediately, chatter erupted.

"Alright, prefects," I said loudly, clapping my hands together. "We know you want to discuss things, so we'll make this quick. Sixth year prefects will take the first patrol for an hour, followed by the fifth years, then seventh years." There was a bout of grumbling at this statement, which I pretended to ignore. "Any more questions? Alright, you're dismissed. Just don't forget to pick up your common room passwords on the way out."

The majority of the prefects cleared out quickly, anxious to eat lunch and talk to their friends. I slumped down in a seat and closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted. When I opened them, I saw that only myself, Remus, and Potter remained.

"Shall we go back, then?" Remus asked, so we all walked slowly back to our compartment. Well, I walked slowly- there was a lot to contemplate about what Greengrass had said. Why was the Ministry really at Hogwarts? Surely the 'security measures' didn't need to be inspected. We had Dumbledore, after all, and if that wasn't good enough protection, I didn't know what was.

Lost in my thoughts as I was, I didn't notice that we had walked back to our original compartment and sat down. I didn't notice, that is, until a Chocolate Frog landed in my lap- and promptly exploded.

Well, not that big of an explosion really, I reflected a few seconds later; more like it let off a lot of smoke and a loud bang, much like Exploding Snap. Still, it was enough to singe the ends of my hair- and make me rather furious.

"Okay, who did this?" I asked angrily, holding up the still-slightly-smoking Frog.

"Well, _we_ got you something to eat off the food cart, seeing as you were busy being Head Girl, if that's what you mean," said Sirius, indicating himself and Peter. I simply glared harder.

"That is obviously _not_ what I meant, Black, and you have _two seconds _to explain."

"It was Peter," he said immediately.

"Was not!" Peter squealed, looking terrified.

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was-"

"Okay, that's enough!" I snapped waspishly. I turned my glare at my two friends, who were looking highly amused. "Real supportive, guys, way to warn me, yeah?"

"Sorry," giggled Mary, not sounding sorry in the least. Beck simply shook her head, still grinning, and waved her wand, restoring my hair to its un-burnt (but not that much improved) state.

"Thanks," I said grudgingly. Then I stuffed the Chocolate Frog in my mouth, because I really was starving.

"Anyway," Peter said quickly, taking advantage of my temporary inability to speak. "Why'd you guys take so long up front? What happened?"

Remus filled in the non-prefects while Potter stuffed himself with food and I- okay, well, I suppose I rather stuffed myself too. When I returned to the conversation from my eating coma, it was to find Sirius mocking Damocles Greengrass.

"'The presence of Ministry officials at Hogwarts is nothing to worry about, '" he quoted, sounding disgusted. "Nothing to worry about, my arse."

"Well, maybe Greengrass is right," Beck said reasonably. We all stared at her. "What? Maybe the Ministry will poke around a bit, realized there's no way You-Know-Who is getting to Hogwarts while Dumbledore's here, and go mind their own business." She shrugged somewhat defensively and resumed reading _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7_. There was silence as we all contemplated her words.

OOOOOO

The rest of the train ride passed fairly uneventfully, with an average amount of mayhem from the Marauders and general post-holiday catching-up. I didn't even get in a big fight with Potter- that is, not until much later, after the lamps had been lit and we had all pulled on our school robes.

"Hey Tiger," he called. I looked up from fastening my cloak.

"First of all, Potter, _don't_ call me that. It's a ridiculous nickname and I really _don't _want to deal with it, alright? Second of all, whatever you were about to say, if it's something that might anger or annoy me in any way, you seriously want to rethink it."

He shrugged. "I only wanted to know if you fancied a drink in Hogsmeade with me when we go-"

"Potter!" I snapped. Some part of my mind noted that I overreacting in a big way, but at this point that (rational) part of my mind was vastly overshadowed by the part that was irritated and, frankly, disappointed that Potter had recessed into his old, irritating, asking-me-out ways. I thought perhaps now that he was Head Boy he might show a little more maturity, but apparently not. "Why in the name of Merlin did you just say that? Here I am fighting with you for the first time this year, and we're not even off the train yet! What make you think I would respond positively to that remark?"

"Well, t'be honest," he said, "I hardly thought anyone would pass up a drink with a charming bloke like me. 'Specially you, Tiger."

"Don't call-"I started threateningly.

"Aw c'mon Evans, it's only a joke!"

"Well it's not funny!"

"Merlin, get a bloody sense of humor, will you?"

"Just drop it, Potter. You're on thin ice."

"Fine, I will."

"Fine."

"Good."

"Great."

"Amazing."

"Wonderful."

"Bloody fan-"

"Look," Beck said loudly, interrupting our argument, "we're here."

Glancing out the window of the compartment, I discovered that this was true. I decided to take the moral high road and drop the argument with Potter, for the time being at least. We all got up and rummaged around for trunks and various possessions. Exiting our compartment, I saw that the students outside of it were being arranged into orderly rows by the green-robed Ministry officials. ("Merlin, are they going to interfere in everything this year?" Sirius muttered.) Nevertheless, we joined the line and exited the train onto Hogsmeade station. I looked around for the carriages that would carry us to the castle (not having the duty of escorting first years off the train, as the Ministry wizards so kindly took care of that), but I didn't have to look long.

It would be hard the miss the herd of thestrals galloping straight towards the platform.

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><p><strong>AN: Dun dun dun... the first chapter's a cliffhanger! Horrible, I know. So, what do you think so far? Loved it? Hated it? Don't give a flaming pile of hippogriff dung? Please review!**


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